Sometimes, most of us wonder about the quality of our lives. Are we satisfied with life? Are we happy? Is something missing? Could life be better? I suspect that when these questions are asked, like around birthdays or significant changes, we become aware of the ways that the lives we… Read More »The Perfect Life or the Happy Life?
In spring, my parent’s yard was a bright array of color. My mother had a bed with yellow and white daffodils. My father planted multi-colored tulips under maple trees. There were two colors of lilacs filling the air with their sweet smell, both white and pink dogwood framing a small… Read More »Diversity: Lessons from My Backyard
It happened to me again. I was in the market shopping. The aisle was a bit tight with two other people trying to pass at the same time. I turned quickly to get out of the way and out of nowhere a sharp pain grabbed my hip. I stumbled, almost… Read More »Spirituality and Aging: Lessons in Letting Go
One of my most memorable places from the years I lived in Saint Louis, Missouri was Forest Park. This expansive city park, larger than New York’s Central Park, was the site of the 1904 World’s Fair. Today, now is home to a wonderful art gallery, an expansive outdoor theater, cascading… Read More »Memorials to Racist Rebellion: No!
I don’t remember the year, but the memory is very clear. I’m guessing it happened in 1968 or 1969. My classmates and I took a school field trip to Washington, D.C. We visited the monuments and one or two of the Smithsonian Museum buildings. What stood out most was the… Read More »Creating Change: Toward a Better Society
I was stunned when I read the meme. I found it mind boggling. It read: “If Jesus had a gun, he’d still be alive today.” I did a little research and found that the quote is originally from the Simpsons, the animated TV comedy show. As I searched online about… Read More »Up-Rooting the Cycle of Violence
Sometimes I’m surprised at how much I am like my parents. I suspect that as we age most people come to this realization. Yet, in the moments when I have insight about these similarities, I’m truly surprised. Some of the similarities I’ve realized are small things. When I sneeze loudly… Read More »Spiritual Practice: A Prized Inheritance
In the early 1990’s, I moved to South Florida where I lived for about five and a half years. One of the first things I noticed was the number of cars with the same bumper sticker. Red letters on a white background simply stated: Love your neighbor. I never knew… Read More »Love Your Neighbor
